Wayback Wednesdays 15 - Generations: 2055
by The Real JL Rules
Summary: Based on the 2001 animated series. As Wonder Woman and Superman face losing the ones they love, old enemies make one final bid for immortal victory... Originally written in 2003.
1. Chapter 1

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

THE STORY SO FAR…

Superman/Clark Kent  
Age (approx): Mid 80s (age slowed)  
Superman continues to defend the world from evil and lead the Justice League. However, he also spends a lot of his time caring for his ailing wife Lois, who despite having had treatment, is still suffering badly from Parkinson's Decease.

Batman/Terry McGuinnis  
Age (approx): 27  
Taking over the Mantle of the Bat, Terry has proven himself as a competent Dark Knight. He has the support of Bruce and Diana's family, though feels he has to prove himself to Bruce himself.

Wonder Woman/Diana Wayne  
Age (approx): N/A  
Still offduty, Diana continues to spend her time with her aging husband Bruce. Knowing time is running out, Diana wants to be with him all the time, while at the same time dreading life without him.

Emerald Knight  
Age (approx): N/A  
Still patrolling the galaxy, the being once known as John Stewart has not seen his former friends for nearly twenty years, and has not been in contact with them for almost as long. He devotes his entire time to protecting the galaxy from the forces of evil.

J'onn J'onzz  
Age (approx): N/A  
Mourning the death of his wife Lucy, J'onn J'onzz has returned to living his life at the Watchtower, and has abandoned his life as Detective John Jones. He tries to be positive, but is once again feeling depressed and alone.

Oracle/Monica Wayne  
Age (approx): 29  
Determined not to let her paralysis hold her back, Bruce and Diana Wayne's youngest child helps Batman in his fight against crime, providing him with technical support and information from around the world.

Bruce Wayne  
Age (approx): Mid to late 80s  
The original Dark Knight stays in his home at Wayne Manor, waiting to die. He no longer feels important, the death of his family haven broken what was left of his spirit. Despite support from his wife Diana, Bruce has all but abandoned his ties to Batman, leaving it to Terry and Monica. He has also not been in contact with his Justice League friends in months.

Shayera Hol  
Age (approx): Late 70s  
Leaving the Watchtower, Shayera Hol moved to a faraway planet, away from everything. Deciding she did not want to bring everyone down with her, she lives alone, and has cut all contact with her friends. The only proof they have that she is even still alive is a card every Christmas.

PART 1

Diana entered the lounge, and saw him sitting there, infront of the fireplace. He sat there every night… unmoving. Staring at the fire.

Waiting.

She went over to him, and stopped a few feet away from the chair. "Terry's gone," she said.

He said nothing.

She sighed. "Monica says there's not much going on tonight… even the drug scene has quieted down."

He remained silent.

She hated this. Over the past decade… he had withdrew himself more and more. He had stopped laughing… stopped enjoying life. They did not go out for walks anymore… their sex life was almost nonexistent… he had lost all contact with their friends.

And it seemed that he did not even care.

She went closer to him, and stood by his side. She looked at him.

His face was blank. He was looking ahead of him, as the fire burned brightly.

This was breaking her heart. The man she loved… her reason for being… was pushing himself closer and closer to death.

It was when Thomas, Grace and Jason died… he was never the same after that. Diana was hurting too, of course… they were her children, gone in one day… it hurt more than anything. But for Bruce… it was the second time he had lost family members. He had broken down… almost committed suicide. If Diana had not been there, he might very well have done it. That hurt immensely. The man she cherished, the strongest man she knew… brought to the depths of depression enough to consider ending it all.

She had made him promise to keep going… to not give up. As long as they loved eachother, there was nothing they could not get through. But Bruce was already prepared to die. He had asked her to leave… asked HER to promise to keep going after he went… anything to spare her the pain of losing him. It did not seem that he realised losing him in any capacity would be more that she could bare.

And she also found it frustrating for selfish reasons. She had taken time off from missions… she had given up her heroic duties… to spend her time with him. She wanted to be there, for the final years… no matter how long or short they lasted. She wanted their final years together to be happy… as he had made her all these decades. But instead… he was ruining them. She hated it, but… she was not enjoying her final years with him.

She sighed. "Tomorrow… why don't we go out?"

He kept her gaze from him. "Where?"

"I don't know…" she said. "The park? Or we could go to the lake… sit on the benches. Or we could just go for a walk around the garden… together."

"Why?" he asked.

She closed her eyes. Why was he doing this? Did he not know how much she was hurting?

She knelt down, and put her hand on his arm. He turned his head at the contact, and stared at her hand. "Please, Bruce…" she whispered. "Don't push me away. I love you."

He looked at her, and his expression softened slightly. He then turned away, looking back at the fire. "Get some sleep. You know you don't have a good day if you don't sleep the night before."

She stood up, trying to hold back the tears. "When are you coming up?"

"Soon," he said simply.

She sighed, and turned around. She went to the door, and stopped. She took one last look at the man she had loved, and a tear poured down her face.

Soon… he would be gone, and she would be alone.

But she felt like she was alone already.

/

Talia stared out the window, at the desert beyond.

It was time. Finally.

She heard footsteps behind her, and turned around. He walked upto her. "How are you, my dear?" he asked.

"When do we start?" she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Anxious, eh?"

She folded her arms. "It's been twenty years. Our work is complete. It's time for me to get my Beloved."

He stepped closer to her. "Of course. But… remember what happened last time?"

She frowned.

"You got too impatient," he said. "You were too wrapped up in your revenge. And of course, you were forgetful."

She remained silent.

"This time…" he said, "there will be no mistakes. You will have what you want… and I will have what I want…"

"I will bring back the one you want," she said.

He sighed. "Would you? Or would you let your desire for revenge get the better of you? Would you lose control, and try and kill the woman again?"

"If I had the chance, I'd kill her with my bare hands," Talia said. "But my priorities have changed. My main goal is getting my Beloved back."

"And you shall have him back," he said. "But I'm going to make sure you don't fail this time. I'm taking… insurance."

Her frown deepened. "What?"

"You will go to America," he said, "with some of my finest warriors. You can do what you want… get your 'Beloved', kill the woman, whatever… while they get the one I want."

"As long as they don't get in my way," she said. "I won't come back without my Beloved."

"And I won't let you come back without the one I want," he said. "You will bring both, or you won't bring either. And if you don't… you won't want to return anyway."

"Why is this person so important to you?" asked Talia.

"My reasons are my own," he said. "Now go. Prepare for your journey. You will leave in the morning. You have one week… not a day more."

She lowered her arms, and nodded slightly. "Yes, father."

He turned and walked away, then stopped. He turned back to her, and smiled. "Don't worry, my daughter. Everything will go as planned. We will have what we want. For all eternity." He then left the room.

Talia sighed. In less than one week… she would have what she wanted. Her Beloved would be with her, and they would leave this place… away from her father.

They would be together. And the woman would be dead. She would personally make sure.

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Chapter 2

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 2

The meeting room was unusually quiet.

Superman sat at the head of the table, and looked over the members of the Justice League.

Only four other people were there.

J'onn J'onzz appeared unemotional, looking at Superman, apparently patiently waiting for him to begin. But the Man of Steel knew he was hurting from recently losing his second wife.

Hawkgirl sat there, drumming her fingers on the table. She was obviously frustrated, no doubt preferring to be with her husband – and Superman's son – Joel, than at the meeting.

His own daughter Lara, Supergirl, sat still, waiting patiently.

And Barda sat at the end, arms folded, also obvious annoyance on her face.

Superman sighed. It was a long time since the Justice League's glory days.

The meeting passed by in less than ten minutes. No one had said much, and there was not a lot happening that required the world's greatest superteam. Soon, Superman was sitting in the kitchen with his daughter and daughter-in-law.

"So how's Lois?" Hawkgirl asked.

"She's as well as can be expected," Superman said. "Dr. Holurt's been terrific all these years. Just when I think Lois is… well, you know… he pulls something out the bag to help her condition."

"It's still not better, though," Supergirl said sadly. "She'll never be cured."

"No," Superman said, putting his coffee on the table. "But to last as long as she has… it's rare. And it's a testament to your Mother's strength."

"I suppose," said Supergirl. "But… can't anything be done? Is there nothing in the universe that can help her?"

"Maybe," Hawkgirl said. "But where would you find it? How would you know where to look?"

"I've tried," the Man of Steel said. "But I haven't had that much time… I have so many responsibilities. And Joel, and you Lara, have your own lives."

"What about Jimmy?" asked Hawkgirl, referring to Superman and Lois' third child.

"He wants to help," Supergirl said, "but like Dad said, it's all down to time. He's the editor of the Planet… he's very busy."

"Besides, I don't think your Mother would want a miracle cure," said Superman. "She's a strong woman, but she's also stubborn. She's resigned herself to her condition… and we have to, too."

Supergirl looked down. "I know… but… doesn't mean I have to like it."

He put a hand on her shoulder, as a tear poured down her face. "I know," he said softly. "I don't like it, either."

They sat there in silence, as they drank their coffees…

/

Lois Lane Kent sat on the sofa, watching the TV. Her son Jimmy was being interviewed about his career as the editor of the Daily Planet. It warmed Lois' heart that her son was keeping the paper alive.

But of course… not much was keeping her alive. She had had Parkinson's Decease for over a decade now… severely. It had cost her her job, her health… her life. She could no longer do the things she enjoyed. She could not even hold a cup of coffee anymore, she was shaking so bad. She had to drink it through a straw.

Clark had been supportive, of course. He had been there every step of the way. Despite his responsibilities as Superman, he had always been there for her. He had made sure she kept on her medication… he had attended every doctor's appointment… he had done more for her than she had for herself.

She heard the doorbell ring, and slowly got to her feet. She was not a young woman anymore. She could barely walk. Clark had tried to get her to use a walking stick, but she would not have it. As long as she did not need a chair, she would walk.

She went to the front door, and looked through the peephole. It was Dr. Holurt.

That was strange. They had no appointment to see him.

She unlocked the door, and opened it. She smiled at the doctor, trying to stop her shaking. "Hello, Doctor," she said. "This is… a surprise."

Holurt looked up at her, not returning the smile.

She frowned. "Is… something wrong?"

He was silent for a moment, obviously uncomfortable.

"Please…" Lois said, "come in."

"No, no," he said, holding up his hand. "That won't be necessary. I won't be staying long."

Her confusion grew. "Then… why are you here, Doctor? We don't… have another appointment… with you for… another fortnight…"

He sighed. "Mrs. Kent, I'm afraid something's happened. Things have changed."

"What are you talking… about?" she asked, getting agitated.

"I have received word from my employers that the next stage is ready," he said.

She was dumbfounded. "Next stage? What… next stage? Am I… going to die?"

"Not if you cooperate," he said.

Her eyes widened. She had heard that enough times to know what that meant.

He leaned closer. "Your husband not in?"

She backed away. "You're not Dr. Holurt. What do you want?"

He smiled at her. "Actually, I am. And what I want, is what I've always wanted… you in the best of health."

She tried to close the door, but he blocked it with his hand. He then threw it open, sending her to the floor. "Please, Mrs. Kent, don't fight. It won't do any good."

Lois looked up at him, as he walked into the house. Behind him were several figures…

They picked her up, gagged her mouth, and silently dragged her out the front door…

/

Bruce opened the bedroom door, and walked in. He sighed as his back ached. Walking really took it out of him now.

He looked at the woman in the bed, and went closer. "You're not asleep, are you?"

"I might be," came the answer.

He smiled slightly. "You're never asleep when I come to bed."

She kept her back to him. "And how would you know?"

He walked slowly around the bed, until he reached his side. He looked at her. Her head was lying on the pillow, the sheets covering her exquisite body. Her hair was draped over her shoulder, and her eyes were open. "Because I always know your condition. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I'm always thinking of you."

Diana remained silent. He removed his dressing gown and slowly slipped into bed. He sighed again as his muscles strained. Even the simplest act was hard, now.

He rested his head on the pillow, and Diana put her arm over his chest. She nuzzled closer to him, taking his hand in hers. "What makes you think I think you're not always thinking of me?"

He looked at her. "Are you trying to confuse me?"

She smiled, and closed her eyes. "Maybe." She sighed as she buried her head in his shoulder. "I'm sorry if I was hard on you… I know you're still hurting."

"I am," he said. "But not for the reasons you think."

She opened her eyes, and frowned. "What do you mean?"

He put his hand to her hair, and stroked it gently. "I'm hurting… because I'm hurting you."

She said nothing, as she stroked his other hand.

"Your silence means I am," he said. "You used to tell me I could never hurt you… you used to say it until you were blue in the face."

Her eyes watered. "I'm sorry… I'm being selfish…"

"Sshh," he said. "You're not the one being selfish. You gave up the League to be with me… and I'm just making you miserable. I've always known, but never did anything. I was too scared."

"You have nothing to be afraid of," she whispered. "I'd never leave you…"

"I'm not scared of that," he said. "I was scared of hurting you. I was afraid of putting you through the pain of me dying. I love you, Diana… but I felt guilty for you giving up so much for me. I ran… so maybe you'd go back to the League. So…"

"So I wouldn't have to watch you die," she said.

He took a deep breath. "Exactly."

She lifted her head up, and rested herself on her elbow. "I'm prepared, Bruce… as prepared as I can be. I don't know if I'll cope, but… I know you're going to die. That's why I want to spend every moment with you. I love you… I love you so much… I don't want to lose you… but if I do… I want to be here."

"Thank you," he said, stroking her cheek tenderly. "But I still have something to ask you."

She tilted her head into his hand. "What?"

"I know you said you won't leave…" he said, "but I need you to promise. I know it goes against everything I've said and done all these years… but now… I don't want you to go. I need you. I need you here, with me. I don't want to go… without looking at you as I do. Your face is the last thing I want to see."

Tears poured down her face. "Do you mean that?"

"More than I've ever meant anything," he said. "I love you, Diana. I'll always love you… in this life and beyond."

"You have no idea what this means to me," she whispered. "You've been trying to get me to leave for so long… I didn't think you loved me anymore. I don't want to miss anything… and I won't. I'll never leave your side."

"Promise?" he said.

She smiled, as the tears poured uncontrollably. "Promise."

"Thank you," he said.

She held his hand close to her chest. "But… do you really mean it? Do you really want me to stay?"

He smiled. "Just tell me you love me."

She took a deep breath, and let out a sob. She leaned down, and kissed him tenderly but passionately. He stroked her hair, and their lips melted together. They held eachother close, not wanting to let go.

Their lips eventually separated, and she rested her head on his chest. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it gently. He closed his eyes, as they lay there in silence.

He was going to die. But they would never be apart. They would love eachother for all eternity.

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 3

Superman flew through the early evening sky, his spirits high. Despite all the difficult times recently… things were not that bad.

Lois was stable. She was not better… she would never be better. But Dr. Holurt's treatments over the years had worked wonders. She had lasted far longer than anyone thought she would. And eventhough she was in her 70s… he had a feeling they still had many years to go yet.

It all started ten years ago, with the plant extract which saved her life after her mild heart attack. How it got there was a mystery. Superman had covered Mexico trying to find a sample, but turned up with nothing. After Lois had recovered, he assumed Bruce arranged it. But after he asked him about it, it turned out the millionaire had no idea of it. So who provided the plant and how was never discovered.

Of course, Superman felt deeply sorry for Bruce and Diana. While Lois was recovering from her attack… their family was breaking. Thomas, Grace, Jason… they died. In the same day. It must have been terrible for them. But it just went to show how strong Bruce and Diana were… he used to wonder if their relationship would last. Now that it had survived the toughest challenge of all… it was obvious they loved eachother more than words could say.

And that was how Superman felt about Lois. She was his life. And he was happy beyond belief that despite the obstacles, they were still together. And they always would be.

Superman neared his apartment building and flew to the roof. He and Lois lived in the biggest apartment in the building… a wedding gift from the Wayne family. He occasionally tried to convince Lois to move to the suburbs… but she would have none of it. He might have been the Man of Steel, but when she put her foot down, she put her foot down.

He landed on the roof and went to the fire escape. He opened the door and walked in, then went down the staircase. By the time he opened the door to the building hallways, his costume was hidden by his pants and cardigan, his slightly greying hair and young face covered in makeup and wig.

He arrived at his apartment door and went to turn the handle. However, he suddenly paused.

Something was wrong. He could feel it.

He concentrated, and stood by the door.

Lois was not there.

He could neither see nor hear her.

He opened the door and went into the apartment. He stopped.

Everything was wear it was… the TV was still on…

But Lois was gone.

He was about to call out for her, when he heard something brush under his foot. He looked down…

There was a rag on the floor.

With a symbol on it.

His eyes widened with shock…

/

Bruce stared at the picture on the fireplace.

He and Diana were holding eachother in their bedroom at the Watchtower. It was a private photo… no one knew, but they always used to take pictures of eachother when they were alone. Bruce used to keep some in his utility belt.

They were private photos… of just them, showing their love for eachother. And the love could be seen in the pictures. Their smiles, the way they held eachother… they could not hide it. And they were all clean, normal pictures, just them smiling and cuddling.

Well… except for some…

He sighed. He had admitted that he needed her. Finally. He had tried to pretend he did not… asked her to leave more than once… but never wanting her to go. She was his life. He loved her with all his heart. If she ever did leave him, no matter how much he thought it would be for her own good… he would not be able to cope.

Now… he needed her. He needed her to be there. He did not want to be alone. He loved her, and he wanted to spend his final moments with her. She was his entire reason for being… she had given his life happiness, when he thought he would never be happy again.

All these years… he was always looking over his shoulder. Always waiting for the worst to happen. For him to die. Or for her to die. Or for her to leave him. Or for her to find someone else… It was silly he knew, but he just could not help thinking that something would happen… something would break them apart.

There had been times, of course. They had had fights… they faced death countless times… but they always managed to survive, and come out stronger. Their bond was never broken. They had been together so long… he could not imagine his life without her.

He just hoped she would be alright after he went. He did not want her to be hurt… she deserved nothing but the best. If she gave up after he went… he could not even think of it. He wanted her to be happy for as long as she lived… just as she had made him.

It would not be long now. A year… maybe two. But he was not afraid. As long as she was with him… she gave him all the strength he needed.

Bruce raised his arm, and gently stroked the picture.

He would cherish those moments forever…

He looked at the picture, and decided to go back to bed. He wanted to be with his wife.

He was about to turn around, when he heard a noise.

He froze.

He knew she was there.

"What do you want?" he asked, his back to her.

"You know what I want," came the reply.

"I won't let you hurt her," he said.

"I don't want to hurt her," she said. "Not anymore. I just want you."

Bruce clenched his jaw. "Leave my home. Now."

"Not without you."

He slowly turned around, and faced her. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Talia stepped closer, keeping her pistol raised. "You have no choice. If you don't come with me, I will kill her."

"She's not pregnant this time," he said. "She'll fight back."

"Maybe," she said. "We'll never know." She then pulled the trigger, and a dart shot out of the pistol.

It hit Bruce in the neck, and he gasped. His legs then buckled, and he fell to the ground.

She looked down at him. He took deep breaths as he felt consciousness slipping away. "I'm sorry, Beloved," she said. "You'll see this is for the best…"

Then everything went black.

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Chapter 4

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 4

Diana hovered by the chair, her mind running a mile a minute.

She had wondered where Bruce was, and gone downstairs to find him. For a moment, she wondered if… he…

But it was something just as bad.

He was gone.

She had been frantic. She had searched the entire house… the entire cave. She had flown around the driveway, the garden… everywhere, several times.

Nothing.

It was then that Terry had returned from patrol. Diana told him that Bruce was missing, and she and Monica had spent the last four hours searching through the Manor's security cameras.

They did not know how she got into the house.

But they saw when she knocked him out and took him.

It was all on film.

Diana's eyes were watering. "How can she… I thought we'd seen the last of her…"

"She's obviously a persistent woman," Terry said. He then froze, and looked at Diana and Monica.

They had pained expressions on their faces.

He sunk into his chair. "Sorry."

Monica looked at the screen. "I think it's obvious where she's taken him."

"To her father."

Diana, Terry and Monica turned their heads at the voice.

Superman stood by the foot of the cave's stairs, grim. "She's taken him to his father."

"That's what I reckon," Monica said. "How… why…?"

Superman went upto them. "Lois is gone."

Diana frowned. "Gone…?"

"I came home this morning, and she was gone," Superman said. "I found this on the floor." He held out his arm. He was holding a piece of cloth.

Terry took it and looked at it. He instantly recognised the symbol on the rag. "The Demon…"

"Ra's Al Ghul has my wife," said Superman. "And now he has Bruce."

Diana could not believe what was happening. "But… why? After all this time… why would he want them? And why would he want Lois?"

Monica turned back to the computer. "I'll see if there have been any flight events in the databanks… see if there's a jet heading for the desert…"

Diana struggled to keep the tears back. "Why can't they leave us alone? What do they want with them?

"I don't know," Superman said. "But I intend to find out."

/

Bruce slowly opened his eyes, and groaned.

Every part of him ached. He could barely move… he was on his front, lying face down on the floor. He gathered all the strength he could, and shuffled his knees up.

After a couple of minutes, he was on his knees, breathing deeply. He was too old for this. His back was sore, his legs in agony with carrying his weight.

He looked around. He was in a small room… a cell. There was a door infront of him, with a small window near the top.

He recognised the décor instantly. He grunted.

He looked at his side, and saw another figure next to him. It was a woman… around his age… she was still unconscious.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. He was genuinely surprised.

"Lois…?"

He suddenly heard footsteps, and turned and looked at the door. After a few moments, a shadow appeared in the tiny crack at the bottom of the door, and the rustling of keys could be heard. The lock was then opened, and the door was slowly pushed forwards.

Bruce frowned. "What does he want?"

Talia looked at him. "My father wants nothing from you."

"Don't give me that," Bruce said. "Why has he had me brought here? What does he plan to do?"

"My father has no plans for you," she said. "You're here for me."

Bruce was silent. He did not believe her… Ra's always wanted him to join his crusade… maybe he finally decided to force him to. But it was true that Talia loved him. She had obsessed over him all these decades… hounded, hurt Diana… determined to have him.

But there was something else.

"Why is Lois Lane Kent here?" he asked.

She sighed. "All will become clear, Beloved. I just wanted to see how you were… would you like some water?"

"Only so I could spit it back at you," he said.

Talia went upto him, and leaned down. She slowly stroked his face, Bruce grimacing at the touch. "Soon… you won't care about that tramp, anymore. You'll see we belong together."

Bruce tore his head away from her hand.

She backed off, and went to the door. "If you'll excuse me… my father and I have to go welcome some more guests…" She then closed and locked the door, and walked away down the corridor.

Bruce looked down, trying to stay strong. This was too much for him. He was an old man… he was in no condition to be in situations like this anymore.

He froze.

More guests?

He closed his eyes.

"Please, Diana… be careful."

/

The Batjet soured through the sky, at maximum speed.

Batman piloted the craft, keeping his eyes on the clouds beyond. He had a direct link to the Batcave, where Oracle was at, waiting to relay any information they might need.

Diana sat at the rear of the jet, at the seating area. She looked down, trying to hold back the tears. She heard footsteps near, and looked up to see Superman go upto her. "How are you?" he asked.

She sighed. "Worried. I can't believe this has happened. Why can't she just leave us alone?"

Superman was silent.

Diana realised what she said. "I'm sorry…" she said. "I'm just thinking of what Talia's done to us… Lois has been taken, too."

He smiled slightly, and sat down opposite her. "It's OK. I understand."

Diana ran her hand through her hair. "It's not fair. Bruce is… soon he's going to…" She paused. "I don't want to lose him until I have to."

"I feel the same way about Lois," Superman said. "All these years… she's fought the Parkinson's. She's lasted longer than anyone thought she would… I thought that would be it. We'd be free now. No one would want to take her, no one would want to hurt her. We'd be left alone, to live the rest of our lives together."

"It's hard enough that we're going to lose them," Diana whispered. "If they were taken from us… I won't be able to cope. If she's hurt Bruce… I'm going to kill her. I'll tear her apart with my bare hands."

"You can't think like that," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Diana felt the rest of her resolve slipping, and a tear rolled down her cheek. This was breaking her heart. Losing Bruce was bad enough… but to have him taken, when they had so little time left…

"He said he needed me," she said. "After all these years of telling me to leave… he finally said he needed me."

"He loves you, Diana," Superman said. "He loves you with all his heart. The only reason he told you to leave was because he didn't want to hurt you. But now… I think even he sees that he can't go without you being there."

She let out a sob, and wiped the tears away. "I'm silly…" she said quietly. "I have to concentrate… I'm being selfish. After all, Lois has been kidnapped, and here I am talking about Bruce…"

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I'm hurting too. You have no idea what this is doing to me. I don't even know why Ra's would want Lois. But it doesn't matter. He's taken her, and that's all that matters. I'm going to get her back. Even if I have to move the Earth itself."

"We'll find them," Diana said. "They're not getting away from us that easily." She smiled slightly, as another tear poured down her face. Superman smiled back, his own eyes watering.

The Batjet's sensors began to beep, and they turned their heads to the front of the craft. Batman looked at the console. "We've reached his fortress," he said. "Or at least, the coordinates of where it's most likely to be, according to Oracle. Though there's no way of knowing…"

Suddenly, a pit opened in the desert below, and a missile shot out of the ground. It flew towards the Batjet.

Batman raised an eyebrow. "Then again…"

Before the Dark Knight could react, the missile slammed into the craft. It jerked violently, and immediately began to fall. "We're going to crash!" Batman yelled.

The Batjet plummeted to the sandy ground below, and crashed hard. It skidded along the dust, then exploded in a ball of fire.

There was nothing, apart from the smoky shell of the jet, ablaze. There was no movement from inside…

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. Chapter 5

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 5

The craft was engulfed in flame. Smoke rose high into the air, the shell of the jet all that remained…

Suddenly, it began to shake…

The side then burst apart.

Superman flew out of the hole, holding two people under his cape. He glided a few hundred yards away from the Batjet, and landed gently on the sandy ground.

He raised his arms, and Batman and Diana stepped out from under his cape. "Are you both alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Batman said. "I didn't know your cape was fireproof."

"I eventually let Bruce talk me into changing the material," Superman said. "So what do we do now?"

Batman looked at the pit in the ground, where the missile had emerged. "I don't really feel like going in that way."

"Don't worry. I have an idea." Superman then shot back into the air, then turned around and dove into the ground. He began to spin, drilling a tunnel through the ground to the underground caverns below.

He reached the bottom, and landed on the underground floor. He watched as Batman and Diana glided down and landed next to him. "Where do we go?" Diana asked. "Where would he be keeping them?"

"The old man has a tracer on him," Batman said. "He never did completely let his guard down." He raised his arm, and a diagnostic appeared on his wrist. "This way."

They began to walk down the cave, Batman navigating and providing a torch with his belt buckle. After a few minutes, they reached a fork in the road.

"Which way do we go?" Superman asked. "Where's the tracer pointing?"

"The signal's not so strong," the Dark Knight said. "He must be deeper underground."

"Maybe we should split up…" Diana suggested.

"I don't know," Superman said. "We don't want to be wandering in this tunnels for days. But then again, we HAVE to find them…"

Suddenly, they heard a noise down one of the corridors. Diana looked into the shadows, trying to make out the source of the noise.

She saw an object on the ground.

She ran upto it, and looked down. Her eyes widened.

It was Bruce's watch.

Her lip trembled. "Bruce…"

She looked ahead of her, and made out other things on the ground.

Bruce's tie. A button. His wallet. His credit cards…

They were all laid out in a line, leading into the darkness.

Diana leapt into the air, and flew down the tunnel. She had forgotten everything else. She had to find the man she loved.

Superman watched her disappear into the tunnel. "Diana, wait…!"

Suddenly, a flood of water gushed down the other tunnel, and hit Superman and Batman head on. They were completely overwhelmed, and they were sent down the tunnel at a great speed.

They eventually reached the end, and landed hard on the ground. The water pooled around them. They were soaked.

"Look at us," Batman said. "We're drenched."

"I think we'll get a chance to try off," Superman said.

"What do you mean?"

Superman pointed infront of them. Batman followed his gaze.

Thousands of warriors stood before them, armed with swords and shields.

Batman's eyes widened. "Oh."

/

Diana flew down the tunnel, only one thing on her mind.

Her husband's belongings were laid out on the floor, like a trail.

If she had been thinking clearly, she might have realised it was probably a trick. But she was far from calm right now. The man she adored had been kidnapped… when they had so little time left. She had to find him. Nothing else mattered.

She reached the end of the tunnel, and it opened up into a cavern. It was not that big… about twenty feet on both sides. In the middle of the area was a final object.

Diana stopped in midair, her eyes wide.

It was Bruce's wedding ring.

She began to tremble. She knew… something had happened to him. SHE had done something to him. She had hurt him… tortured him…

Diana's anger began to rise.

She would kill her. She would rip her apart with her bare hands, until nothing was left.

She glided into the cavern, heading for the ring…

Suddenly, there was a laser blast, and it shot past her, hitting the ceiling above.

Diana looked over her shoulder, as the ceiling began to cave in. She watched as debris and rubble plummeted down, making a wall at the entranceway.

After a few moments, the opening was completely blocked… there was no way out.

She looked back at the ring, and went to it. She had to get it…

Suddenly, another laser shot out, hitting her in the shoulder. "Arrrrgh!" She flew backwards, hitting the rock behind her. She slumped to the ground, her shoulder badly burned.

She heard footsteps, and looked up.

Talia stood a few yards away, pistol aimed. "You want this?" she asked, nodding at the ring. She then went over to it, knelt down, and picked it up. She straightened up, then put the ring in her pocket.

Diana grit her teeth. "Where… is… he?"

"That doesn't matter," she said. "You don't matter. Soon… he will be mine, and you will be but a memory." She then fired the pistol again.

However, Diana shot her arm out, and blocked the laser with her bracelet. The beam ricocheted off, shooting back to Talia. It hit her in the shoulder, and she screamed in agony. She fell to the ground.

Diana got to her feet, as Talia took deep breaths. "Where… is… he?" she repeated.

"You've lost, Princess," Talia said, standing up. "I'll have my Beloved back."

"You're wrong," Diana said.

"And what makes you say that?" Talia asked.

Diana clenched her jaw. "Because this time… YOU'RE in deep trouble."

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Chapter 6

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 6

Talia smashed against the rocky wall, and fell to the ground.

Diana walked upto her. "I'll ask one last time. Where's my husband?"

Talia spat the blood from her mouth. "I'll never tell you… NEVER!" She then lunched forwards.

Diana effortlessly slapped her back down.

"You're no match for me," she said. "Nothing will keep me from finding Bruce. Now tell me… before I rip your vocal cords out."

Talia reached behind her. "I'm afraid… that won't be necessary…" She then threw her arm out, and the dirt and rubble she had in her hand flew into the air, into Diana's eyes.

Diana blinked, and staggered back. She wiped her eyes, opening them in time to see Talia diving towards her…

They crashed into eachother, flying backwards. They smacked against the rock, Diana screaming as a sharp stone stabbed her back. Talia then held her by the throat, and began punching her repeatedly.

"I should thank you…" she said. "Your son took away my hand… but I got a better one in return." She leaned back, and rammed her steel cybernetic fist into Diana's face, drawing blood. "Wouldn't you say?"

Diana gasped as she tried to get the air into her body, and saw Talia pull her arm back again.

She then thrust it forwards…

Diana caught it in one hand.

Talia's eyes widened.

Diana grit her teeth, and squeezed hard.

The cybernetic hand crumbled like paper in her hand.

Talia began to tremble. "You… I'll… KILL YOU…"

Diana thrust her own hand out, grabbing Talia's throat. "That's my line," she said. She then punched her hard, and Talia went sailing through the air. She hit the ground hard, as Diana straightened up and wiped the blood from her face.

Talia struggled to get up, but Diana stood over her. She then lifted her foot, and rammed it down onto her skull, sending it into the ground.

Talia's head lay in a crater, and her eyes were glassy. Diana then grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up. "I've had enough of you…" she said. "You hurt me… beat me… tortured me… you made my daughters disabled… you hounded Bruce… you nearly killed us… you've messed with us long enough."

Talia looked at her, gasping for air.

"Do you still have enhanced strength?" Diana asked.

Talia took a deep breath.

Diana grinned. "Good."

She then swung around, and threw Talia into the wall. She collapsed onto the ground, as rock and debris fell around her. Diana picked up a piece of rubble, and slammed it down onto Talia. She then raised it, and sent it down again. She continued to pummel her with the rock, until it literally crumbled in her hands.

For the next few minutes, Diana let out all her frustration, all her anger, on this woman who had hurt her so much. She hit her, kicked her, threw her, twisted her, pounded her… until all was left was a broken body on the ground.

Eventually, Diana stood over Talia, breathing hard. She had completely lost control. She wanted to kill her. She was going to kill her.

Diana picked her up by the collar, and Talia hung there, on her knees. Bleeding heavily, she could barely look at her… her eyes swollen and her lips split.

Diana pulled her arm back, preparing to deliver the killing blow. "For what you've done to me… to all of us… you're going to die…"

She looked at Talia, bleeding and beaten.

She kept her arm behind her, fist clenched.

She took deep breaths, readying herself for the kill…

She kept her arm behind her.

Her mind went to Bruce.

He was against killing, in any form.

If she killed her… what would he think?

Could she risk it?

She looked at the woman in her grasp, and began to tremble.

Tears poured down her face.

Her angered expression began to soften, and she let out a gasp. "Bruce…"

Her fist relaxed.

She lowered her arm, and straightened up, still holding Talia by the collar.

"You're not worth it," she said quietly. "Now… where's Bruce?"

Before Talia could answer, there was a small whizzing noise.

The dart hit Diana right in the neck.

"Arrrrgh!" She put her hand to her neck, and dropped Talia, who slumped to the ground.

Diana backed away, and her legs began to buckle.

She fell to her knees.

She took deep breaths, as she fell onto her stomach.

She breathed heavily, as her vision blurred.

"Bruce…" she whispered.

Then everything went black…

/

Superman opened his eyes, and lifted his head.

He looked around, and saw what was for him an unfamiliar place.

He was in a large cave… with an edge a few yards away from him. With his super-senses, he could tell beyond the edge was a huge pit… filled with liquid. He could hear it. Smell it.

His mind went back to earlier. After he and Batman had fallen down the tunnel, they had been faced with hundreds of men that must have been Ra's Al Ghul's soldiers. They were not such a problem; he and the Dark Knight had steamrolled over them without much trouble. But it was the sheer number of them. They never stopped coming.

And then, the entire cavern had burst with electricity. The entire place was wired, and electricity shot out everywhere. The soldiers were killed – Ra's obviously did not care about sacrificing them – and there had been enough energy to make even Superman pass out.

And now, he had woken up here. He looked around him. Batman was next to him, groggily coming around. He turned to his other side, and saw Diana. She was also awake, breathing hard. Her nose was bleeding; she had obviously been in a fight. And Superman could guess who with.

He looked past Diana and saw two more figures. Bruce was there, sitting, his hands tied behind his back, like all their hands were. He looked tired, but at his age, he always looked tired.

And behind him…

Superman's eyes widened.

Lois.

She was sitting next to Bruce, also looking very weak.

Superman got to his feet. "Lois… are… AAAARRRGH!" He fell to the ground, his shackles having shot out thousands of volts of electricity.

"I wouldn't do that," a female voice said. "Those are taken from the very latest Gorilla City designs."

They all looked at the far side of the cave. Talia limped out of the shadows, her face a mess, in obvious pain. Again, Superman did not need to be the World's Greatest Detective to realise what must have happened.

"What are you going to do to us?" Bruce asked. "What have you got planned?"

"I think I'll leave that for my father to reveal." Talia then waved her hand, and they all looked back at the far wall.

Another figure strode from the darkness.

A man, he was wearing green and orange gowns, a large cape hanging off his shoulders. He was wearing a mask, and Superman tried to see the face within. However, the headpiece was lined with lead.

Still, it did not matter. He recognised the design.

The Demon's Head.

Superman clenched his jaw. "So… you're the famous Ra's Al Ghul, eh? I hoped I'd meet you one day."

"That's not Ra's Al Ghul," Bruce said.

Everyone looked at him. "What…?" Diana asked.

"My congratulations, Bruce," the man said. "This is the first time you've seen me, yet you instantly recognise I'm not your old enemy."

Superman immediately recognised the voice. "Great Scott…"

Slowly, the man put his hands to his face, and removed the mask of the Demon…

Superman's eyes widened. "Lex…"

"What's the matter, Superman?" Lex Luthor asked, smiling. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

TO BE CONTINUED


	7. Chapter 7

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 7

Everyone was in total shock.

Superman's jaw was open. "Lex… but… how…?"

Lex Luthor looked at him. "How what? How can I be here… how can I still be alive?"

"You died…" Diana said. "You were killed when the Injustice Guild's base collapsed…"

"Yes, I thought that would fool you enough to get off my back," Luthor said.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Anytime you're ready."

Luthor turned his head at him, and grinned. "Still the same, Bruce… or should I say, Batman?"

Bruce growled.

"That's right – I have access to all of Al Ghul's files," Luthor said. "I know all your secrets."

"Get to the point," Bruce said. "None of us are getting any younger."

Luthor sighed. "Very well. I suppose you're wondering why and how I'm here."

Everyone remained silent.

"It started, as you so rightfully said, Mrs. Wayne, when the Injustice Gang disintegrated," Luthor said. "But you all should have known that I'd be planned for any eventuality."

"You had an escape route," Superman said.

"That's right… Clark," Luthor said.

Superman winced at the other name.

"Once I had escaped, I found that the stress of the situation had accelerated my kryptonite poisoning," Luthor continued. "I had to wait over two years before I felt strong enough to strike again. I considered staging another full-on attack, but then I thought of a better idea." He looked at Talia.

"You got with Al Ghul," Bruce said.

"Correct," said Luthor. "You see… over my two-year… hiatus… I got to thinking. I thought, what was it that I really wanted? What, when all was said and done, did I want in my life? I came up with two answers. One, you, Clark, dead."

Superman remained silent.

"And the other…" he went over to Lois. "Was you."

Superman gasped. Lois looked up at him, a look of confusion on her face. "What? What are you talking about?"

"The Man of Steel isn't the only man who loves you," Luthor said, kneeling down. "All those years… I wanted you. I love you, Lois."

Lois stared at him, then scowled. "Tough. I'm too old for you, now."

"That's where you're wrong!" Luthor said, getting to his feet. "I have planned for decades… spent all these years planning a way to get everything I wanted in life… and the answer was here."

"What are you talking about, Lex?" Superman asked.

Luthor began to pace again, his arms behind his back. "Fifty years ago… I travelled here. I came wanting to be trained by the great Ra's Al Ghul… in return, I would provide him with technology that I still had in my secret hideouts."

"Let me guess," Bruce said. "You betrayed him."

"That's right," Luthor said. "After a few years… after I had learned all I needed… I killed him."

Everyone gasped. "Al Ghul is… dead?" Batman asked.

"I challenged him in a fight to the death… he accepted," Luthor said. "And he lost."

"You must have used every trick you knew," Bruce said. "Al Ghul would have slapped you around like a bald baby."

"Well, as you can see," Luthor said, running his hand through his red hair, "I'm not bald anymore. Anyway, after I took over the thrown, I began to put my plan into action."

"But Talia said her father was here…" Diana said.

"Ra's' men are very loyal," said Luthor. "If they'd have known that I had killed their leader decades ago, there would have been a mutiny. So I had Talia agree to keep the pretence. As far as the soldiers are concerned, I'm the same man they've followed for centuries."

Bruce turned to Talia. "But why would she agree to that in the first place? Talia was loyal to her father above all else."

"Because I promised her the one thing her father never did," Luthor said.

Bruce frowned.

"You."

Diana's eyes widened. "What…?"

"I agreed that Talia could have her 'Beloved', if she helped me," Luthor said. "She really loves you, Bruce. Without her, it would have taken twice as long for my plan to be ready."

"And what is that plan?" Superman asked.

Luthor turned to the edge of the ground, and went upto it. "As you know, Ra's had the Lazarus Pit, a pool of liquid that, if you keep immersing yourself in it, gives you immortality."

"So that explains why you're still alive," Bruce said. "And Talia."

"Correct," Luthor said. "And eventually, it cured me of my kryptonite poisoning. But it wasn't enough. I wanted more." He looked at Lois. "I wanted you."

Lois grunted. "If you think I'm going to go for a swim in there, you've got another thing coming…"

"You will," Luthor said. "But I doubt you'd be willing to KEEP doing it. Plus… I had had enough of this place. I wanted to get back out into the world… get a condo in Australia… Lexville. And obviously, I wouldn't be able to take the Lazarus Pit with me. So… I decided to modify it."

Everyone was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"I used all my knowledge… all my money… all my technology… all my contacts… to change the Pit. To increase its power. To make it perfect. To finance my work, I increased crime in the West… including the drug trading in America."

Bruce clenched his jaw. "So you were behind that…"

"After many, many years… and with the help of Talia… I finally succeeded," Luthor said. "I perfected the Lazarus Pit. Now… a person only needs to go in it ONCE, and they will be immortal forever!"

"How do you know it lasts forever?" Batman asked.

"I tested it, of course," said Luthor. "You know those bugs that only live a day? Well, I dipped one into the pit… two years ago. With the old Pit, it still would have died after another day, without another immersion. But it's still alive today."

"So… you've immersed yourself in it," Bruce said. "And Talia."

"Yes," said Luthor. "We are now both immortal forever. However, this is a side-affect. Obviously, the madness upon emerging from the Pit is still there… the only way to cancel that out is if two people went in simultaneously. But then, only one – the one in better health – would survive. But there's another side-affect. Because it uses so much of its power in making a person immortal after just one go, the Pit can now only be used a certain amount of times, before it dries up. Three times, to be precise."

Talia looked at him. "What?"

Luthor ignored her. "Talia and I have already used it. Which means it can only be used one more time." He turned to Lois. "And that final time is going to go to you, Lois."

Lois raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, THAT'LL happen."

Talia went upto Luthor. "You said it could be used FOUR times," she said.

Luthor turned to look at her. "And?"

She pointed at Bruce. "What about my Beloved?"

Luthor remained unfazed. "What about him?"

"You said if I helped you, you'd put him in the Pit," she said. "And then he would be immortal, and we could leave this place, and live our lives together."

Luthor sighed. "I lied."

"What?" Talia cried. "WHY?"

"Because you never would've agreed to help me if I didn't say you would have him in return," Luthor said. "And anyway, it COULD only be used four times. The first time was on the bug."

Talia stood there, her look a mixture of anger, confusion and shock.

Luthor went upto the edge of the ground, and waved out to the Pit. "And now…" he said, "let us begin."

/

Luthor looked at the people on their knees on the floor. "It's time," he said. He held out his hand. "Lois, come."

"Not a chance," Lois said.

Luthor began to frown. "Lois, please. I love you… don't make me force you…"

Lois stayed where she was. "You do… and my husband will break your arms."

"Oh please…" Luthor said.

"I will," Superman said. "You touch her, and nothing will keep me from you."

"We'll see about that." Luthor then went upto Lois, and looked at her. "You'll see this is for the best, Lois. I can over you the world. What has he given you all these years?"

"I won't bother answering," Lois said. "Because you'd have no concept of them."

Luthor sighed, then bent down. He took Lois' arm, and lifted her to her feet.

Superman got to his feet. "Take your hands off her, Luth… AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!" The shackles that tied his hands burst with electricity, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

Luthor dragged Lois to the edge of the pit. She tried to break free, but she was too old and weak; she had no chance.

Luthor stood her by the edge. "Soon, my darling," he said. "We'll be together, forever."

"You're insane," she said. "Don't do this…"

"I've waited fifty years…" he said. "I can't wait any longer. You'll see… we belong together." He then threw his arm out, and pushed her backwards.

Lois teetered on the edge, then fell over the edge. She plummeted down, screaming as she fell.

Superman's eyes widened. "NO! LOIS!"

They heard a splash.

Luthor turned to them. "Now… she's mine."

Talia crept towards Bruce. "You lied to me," she said.

"Oh, give it a rest," Luthor said. "I'll kill him later… then you can do what you want."

She began to tremble. "You tricked me… you said I'd have my Beloved back…"

Luthor looked over the edge. "Uh-huh…"

She grit her teeth. "AND I WILL!"

She then grabbed Bruce by the collar, and lifted him to his feet. Before anyone could do anything, she picked him up, and threw him forwards. He sailed through the air…

Over the edge of the pit…

Luthor gasped. "NO!"

It was too late.

Bruce fell out of view.

After a few seconds, there was another splash.

Luthor looked at Talia. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"I'm having my Beloved," she said. "I won't let you or anyone keep us apart any longer."

He approached her. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Superman and Diana looked at eachother. They then tensed their bodies, and the electricity began to sparkle from their restraints again…

They grit their teeth, and strained, ignoring the pain.

They then thrust their arms into the air, smashing the restraints.

Luthor looked at them. "What…?" However, Superman viciously pushed him aside.

"Out of the way, Luthor!" the Man of Steel said. "I'll deal with you later!"

He and Diana looked over the edge of the pit.

The liquid bubbled and spluttered.

Superman shook his head. "No… Lois…"

Tears poured down Diana's face. "Bruce…"

The pool began to evaporate, shrinking…

Diana's lip began to tremble. "Bruce… please…"

A figure began to rise from the rapidly-diminishing liquid.

It suddenly burst out, and Superman and Diana backed away, shocked.

Everyone watched, eyes wide.

The figure slowly climbed out of the pit. It was holding another figure in its arms.

It left the pit, and reached the edge of the ground. It stood there, dripping.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Lazarus Pit evaporated into air.

The figure stood there, shaking.

Superman, Diana, Luthor and Talia slowly approached it.

Then, the figure fell to its knees, dropping the other figure to the ground.

There was silence. Everyone waited.

The figure lifted its head.

Everyone gasped.

A young Bruce Wayne looked back at them.

TO BE CONTINUED


	8. Chapter 8

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 8

Everyone was speechless.

Bruce looked at them, breathing deeply. "What… happened…?" he asked.

Diana went to him slowly. "Bruce…" She knelt down, tears in her eyes. "Bruce…"

Her body trembled, and she raised her arm. She delicately stroked his smooth cheek, and he looked at her arm. He then lifted his own, and took her hand in his and brought it to his view.

His eyes widened.

His hand was smooth… young.

"My God…" he breathed.

"Bruce…" Diana whispered. "You… I… I can't believe…"

They stared at eachother, his own eyes watering. There was silence, as they held they squeezed their hands tight.

Superman went upto him. "What… about Lois…?" he asked quietly.

Bruce and Diana looked up at him, then Bruce looked down. There was a figure by his knees, on its side, its face hidden. He and Diana separated their hands, and he slowly leant down closer to the figure. He softly touched its shoulders, and rolled it onto its back…

Superman's heart skipped a beat.

Lois lay there, her skin rotting. Her hair was burnt, her eyes wide and unblinking. She was gasping, trying to get air into her body. He knelt down by her, and took her skeletal hand in his.

"The Pit…" Bruce said, "it could only take one person at a time…"

Tears poured down Superman's face, as he looked at what was left of his wife. Her skin was so thin… he could see the veins and bones underneath…they could all see…

She looked at him, tears pouring from her eyes. "Cllllllll….Cllllluurrrrrrrkkkkkk…"

Superman's lip wobbled. "Lois… please…"

She gasped as she took a breath. "Aaaaaahhh… Iiieeeee… lllllllluuuuuurrrrrrv… yooooooo…"

Superman leant down closer. "Lois… no…"

He put her head against her chest.

She was gone.

There was silence.

Superman lifted her up, and held her close. He closed his eyes tight, tears pouring uncontrollably. He let out a sob.

He began to shake his head. "No… no… no no no no no…"

He threw his head into the air.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGH!"

/

There was silence.

Superman closely held the corpse of his wife, sobbing quietly.

Bruce and Diana stood over him, holding eachother.

Luthor and Talia stood there, eyes wide.

Batman looked down, still shackled.

"Clark…" Bruce whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

Superman raised his head slowly, his face red. "It's not your fault, Bruce…" He then turned his head at Luthor, and his eyes went red. "It's his."

Luthor looked at him, tears pouring down his own face. "All I wanted was the best for her…" he said.

Superman gently laid Lois' body onto the ground, and slowly got to his feet. He then looked at Luthor. "The best for her…" He suddenly grit his teeth, and fires his heat vision at full power at Luthor. "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE BEST FOR HER?"

The beams hit Luthor head-on, and he screamed in agony. He flew backwards, crashing into the rock wall. He slumped to the ground, his body smoking.

Superman went upto him. "Looks like you've enhanced your strength, too," he said. "That's fine by me."

Luthor slowly got to his feet. "Please… it wasn't my fault…"

"SHUT UP!" Superman yelled, slapping Luthor in the face, sending him smacking back into the wall. "This is it, Lex! No more letting you go, no more trying to help you come to your senses! I'm going to kill you, you scum, and I'm going to enjoy every single moment of it…"

Diana took a step towards them, but was stopped by Bruce's hand. "Don't," he said. "You wouldn't be able to stop him."

Superman grabbed Luthor by the collar, and hoisted him up. "All these years… all these decades… she was prepared to die, Lex. She was prepared to die with honour. Do you even UNDERSTAND that? She didn't WANT any help! She wanted to go with her dignity… and you… you STOLE her chance at a peaceful death!"

"You IDIOT!" Luthor shouted. "She wouldn't even have BEEN alive if it wasn't for me!"

Superman frowned.

"Who do you think was behind her treatment all these years, Clark?" Luthor said. "Who do you think funded her medication? Dr. Holurt was under MY employ, Clark… I was keeping her alive all this time. Who do you think provided the plant ten years ago?"

Superman looked at him, mouth open. "You… kept her alive…?" He was silent for several moments, then clenched his jaw. His scowl deepened. "She wasn't yours to help."

He then threw Luthor into the air, and he plummeted down into the pit where the liquid was. He crashed into the now-dry ground, creating a crater in the rock. He tried to get to his feet, but Superman dove down… and landed with all his weight on Luthor's spine. He stood ontop of him, Luthor motionless on the ground.

"Hera…" Diana said. "Bruce… we have to stop him…"

Bruce sighed. "He has to stop himself."

Superman knelt down on Luthor's back, and pulled his head up by the hair. "It looks like you've won, Lex," he said. "Because you've accomplished your goal. You've ruined my life. You've taken the one thing I love more than anything else, and destroyed it. And you're also going to turn me into what you are. A murderer." He breathed deeply, his anger beyond control. "And you know what? I'm going to like it."

He then wrapped his hands around opposite side of Luthor's head, ready to snap his neck.

Suddenly, Luthor pressed a button on his palm, and thousands of volts of electricity shot out. Superman screamed in agony, then flew off Luthor, landing in a heap a few yards away.

Luthor got to his feet, and picked up a rock. He lifted it over his head, and threw it at Superman.

However, the Man of Steel flew his arm out, smacking the rock away. It flew into the air, and crashed into the rocky ceiling high above.

Bruce, Diana, Talia and Batman looked up. The ceiling began to crumble…

"It's going to collapse…" Bruce said.

Suddenly, the ceiling split apart, and debris and rubble plummeted down. Diana flew herself forwards, pushing Bruce out of the way of a large piece of rock, narrowly missing it herself.

Batman looked around as the cavern fell around them. "I could use a little help here…"

Diana ran upto him, and grabbed his shackles. She then ripped them off, freeing his hands.

A large block of debris broke off the ceiling, and fell down towards them.

Talia was too weak to run.

It crashed onto her, crushing her into the ground.

Bruce's eyes widened.

He ran upto Talia, who was pinned to the ground, her legs crushed. She looked at him, her life ebbing away. "Beloved…"

He knelt down by her, and leaned close, holding her by the shoulders.

"I love you…" she breathed. "Tell me you love me too…"

Bruce remained silent, then felt something in Talia's breast pocket. He opened it, and slowly removed a small object.

It was his wedding ring.

He looked at Talia, and clenched his jaw. "This is mine, I believe." He closed his fist on his ring, holding it close. He then slowly got to his feet, and backed away from Talia.

Talia looked at him, tears pouring down her face. She breathed deeply, as she held out her hand to him. She then took one last gasp, and her eyes went blank.

She was dead.

Bruce stared at her, then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Bruce…" Diana said, "We have to get out of here…"

He put his hand on hers. "You're right." He then turned and faced her, and led her to the exit.

Batman looked back at the pit. "What about Superman?"

Bruce looked over his shoulder. "It's upto him." He then grabbed Batman by the collar, and pulled him away. The three of them then ran towards the exit, and left the cavern as it collapsed in on itself.

In the pit, Superman had subdued Luthor, and held him by the scruff of the neck. "You fool…" Luthor mumbled. "You're going to kill yourself…"

"Give me one good reason why I should live," Superman said.

Luthor opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the debris began to fall at a greater rate.

There was a rush of red and blue…

Then thousands of tonnes of rock smashed into the pit, crushing everything in their path…

TO BE CONCLUDED


	9. Chapter 9

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Also, this was written before the_ stupid _revelation that Terry McGinnis was Bruce Wayne's biological child. So in this, Terry and Bruce are unrelated._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 9

The fist punched its way through the ground, throwing sand into the air. The hole then spread bigger, until another arm came out.

Diana slowly climbed out of the hole in the ground, and reached the outside desert. She climbed completely up, then turned around and knelt down, reaching back in. Bruce then followed, and she took his arms and slowly helped him up. After a few seconds, Batman emerged from the pit as well.

They all got to their feet, and looked around. There was miles and miles of desert, with hills in the distance. A few yards away was the pit that the missile had shot out of, and in the other direction, the totalled Batjet that it had hit.

Batman sighed. "How are we going to get home?"

"Call Oracle," Bruce said. "She'll contact the League, get them to bring the Javelin-9 to pick us up."

"Right." Batman put his hand to his cowl radio, and walked away.

As the Dark Knight conversed with Oracle, Diana looked at Bruce. She put her hands to his face, and stroked his cheeks. "Bruce… I can't believe it…"

"I know," he said, stroking her arms softly.

Her lip began to tremble, and her eyes watered. She then threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. He returned the embrace, and they held eachother tight.

"I love you…" she said, tears running down her face. "I love you so much…"

"I love you too…" he whispered.

They held eachother in for a long time, in silence.

Eventually, Batman went upto them, slightly uncomfortable. "Er… she said she'll get J'onn to call when they leave the Watchtower." He then looked back down the hole. "Look… what about Superman?"

Bruce and Diana separated, and followed his gaze. "There's no way he could have survived that," Diana said.

Suddenly, there was a rumbling noise.

The ground began to shake.

Bruce and Diana held eachother close, as Batman struggled to stay on his feet.

Suddenly, there was an explosion of sand, and a figure burst out of the ground.

They looked up, and Bruce nodded approvingly. "I wouldn't be so sure."

Superman glided down and landed softly on the sand. He went upto them.

He was carrying Lois in his arms.

"I couldn't leave her there…" he said. "I just… couldn't…"

Bruce put a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Clark…"

Superman began to shake, and he broke down. "I've lost her… I've lost her I've lost her I've lost her I've lost her…"

His voice disintegrated into incomprehensible mumbling, and tears poured uncontrollably. Diana went upto him and put her hand on his arm.

There was silence for a long time, the only sound the quiet sobbing of the Man of Steel… his heart shattered…

/

The door opened slowly, and she walked in silently. Once she reached the middle of the room, she turned around, as he entered the room. He then closed the door quietly, before going upto her and stopping a few feet away.

Diana held her arms. "Well."

Bruce nodded. "Well."

She could not control herself anymore. Her eyes watered, and she let out a sob. She then went towards him, and threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he put his hands on her back, pulling her closer.

They held eachother tightly for an eternity.

"I can't believe it…" Diana whispered. "I love you…"

"I know…" Bruce said. "It's OK…"

They relaxed their embrace, and she looked at him. She could not believe it. The man she loved… the father of her children, the man she adored more than anything else… was alive. And would be alive.

Forever.

Tears poured down her face. "I'm sorry for Clark…" she breathed. "But I can't help feeling… overjoyed."

He put his hand to her chin, and rubbed it lovingly. "It's OK…" he said. "I understand. I feel the same way."

"We're going to be together, forever…" she said. "It's just what I've always dreamed of…"

"I don't know what to think," he said slowly. "I never thought… I was ready to die. I was ready to go. As painful as it would have been… I was prepared to say goodbye to you."

She let out a sob.

"And now that I won't…" he said, "I can't believe it. I love you Diana… but that's too small a word. You're everything to me. And even though I have the chance… eternity wouldn't be long enough to be with you."

She stroked his cheek tenderly. She loved him… she knew that. And the thought of losing him was unbearable…

But now… she did not have to…

Still… she had to know.

"Do you want to still be with me…?" she asked. "Do you want to spend the rest of life with me?"

He wiped the tears from her eyes, and smiled lovingly. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

She could not control herself anymore. "More than anything…!" She then threw herself forwards again, hugging him close.

He held her tight, tears running down his face. "We still have a lot to talk about…" he said, "but I'll always be here for you, Diana. I'll never stop loving you… I'll love you forever, and never let you go…"

She looked at him, and took a deep breath. This was the happiest moment of her life. She would be with the man she loved… forever.

They leaned their heads closer, and brushed their lips together.

The kiss deepened, and she put her hands to his head, pulling him closer. He put his hand behind her head, and pushed her deeper into him. Their lips melted together, and their bodies became inseparable.

They would be together. Forever.

And nothing would break them apart.

/

The stars shone brightly in the sky.

The graveyard was quiet, the only sound the night breeze in the air.

He went upto the grave quietly. He looked at the tombstone.

"I'm sorry, Lois," Clark said.

He stared at the grave.

"All these years… I tried to protect you. I thought… maybe… I had succeeded. That nothing would hurt you as long as I was around. But I was wrong. I was blind. I never saw that danger was with us all the time."

He removed his glasses, and sighed.

"You shouldn't be dead, Lois. You should have lived a long, long life. You should have lived into your hundreds… you were strong enough. Even with the Parkinson's… you persevered. Luthor might have helped kept you alive… provided the medication… but you must have wanted to stay alive. You never gave up. You kept fighting. You were far stronger than me. I appeared strong… but I was dying inside. I didn't want to lose you… and in the end, I didn't. You were taken from me."

He looked at the sky, a tear pouring down his face.

"I can't continue as Clark Kent anymore. Without you… there's no point. I'm going to quit my job at the Planet… disappear. No one will see or hear of Clark Kent again. It's the way it has to be."

He looked back at the grave.

"But it'll be different this time. I won't be abandoning my life. I'll be closing it. Last time, when I gave up my life, it weakened me. I couldn't function without you and our friends around me. I needed you to be complete. But now… I have the strength. Because I didn't abandon you… I didn't leave you… I'll remain strong. As long as you're in my heart, I'll remain strong. Everything I do from this point on, it'll be for you. I'll never forget you, Lois. You'll be my strength, from now, until the day I die."

He took a deep breath, and knelt down by the grave. He slowly lowered his hand…

And placed his wedding ring on the mound of earth.

"I love you, Lois Lane."

He then got to his feet, and left the graveyard in silence.

A few minutes later, a streak shot out across the Metropolis sky, like a shooting star…

THE END


End file.
